Archive for September, 2008

Parties Can Eat Celebrations

September 30, 2008 at 8:34 pm · Filed under Musings, Thoughts & Ideas

So I was talking to one of my very best girlfriends’ of all time the other day and she mentioned that when she did a search under “pre-packaged celebrations” she immediately found Royal Tart but when she searched under “pre-packaged parties” she did not. This statement led to a long conversation regarding the terms “celebrate” and “party.” She is a helpful friend like that–always up for a good debate!

To me “party” means to be with a bunch of people–like 20 or more. “Party” means shots (yes, I said, “Shots”). Party means casual–like beach party, birthday bash, big milestone birthday, Halloween house-party, tailgate, pizza party–you know–informal, perhaps a little disorganized, lots of people, jeans, late night, food on a big table, possibly a keg, lots of wine bottles a empty by the end of the night–you get the idea.

I love parties but I knew that Royal Tart couldn’t start by competing with the big boxes or discount stores or the fancy schmancy event designers or caterers. I decided on limiting Royal Tart Celebrations to no more than about 20–with most of the Celebrations for 8-12 people. Which then led me to try to define what is was Royal Tart was selling.

I came up with the term “Celebration” to help define the celebratory event. “Celebration” to me conjures smaller more intimate events. It conjures more formal event planning than paper plates and other disposable elements–though when the Celebration demands such I may go with it as I did in the Trick-or-Treat Celebration which was designed with the pre-trick-or-treat dinner in mind.

Until I had to “say what I mean and mean what I say” I often used the terms interchangeably or as the event required. I am wondering if the differentiations between “celebration” and “party” make sense to you? Do you have different definitions for the terms? Do add a comment so that our “Celebration” v. “party” discussion may continue.

Thanks & Cheers,
Tricia

Oh, and by the way, I think that a super duper memorable Celebration often turns into or gets eaten by a party!

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Getting Our Name Out

September 27, 2008 at 4:55 pm · Filed under Thoughts & Ideas

Royal Tart (where entertaining and celebrating in style is as easy as pie!) is now registered on Blog Catalog and Technorati. Check out my profile on both. Technorati Profile and Blog Catalog.

Royal Tart –Celebrating with Royal Style Made Easy as Pie!

Tricia

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I’m a Little Teapot…Collector

September 26, 2008 at 5:47 pm · Filed under Musings, Thoughts & Ideas

Florentine Teapot
Florentine Shower Teapot

Hiya! I have been thinking about writing a blog about teapots but have been resistant for some silly reason–but I just received a comment to the Royal Tart Teapot Giveaway Blog –the comment was “…I absolutely adore tea. Not just for the beverage, but the pots are wonderful too.” from PKVST2–I couldn’t have said it better myself! I too love not only tea, but also the teapots and the art or celebration of tea.

Teapots are what initially set me on the path to what is now Royal Tart. Okay not entirely but my idea was all about tea time celebrations. Then I branched out into other celebrations. My whole life I have celebrated milestones (like birthdays and my first baby shower) with afternoon tea. I first started going to tea with my mom and now go with girlfriends and sometimes my husband. I even host afternoon tea for my little guys regularly and I must admit it is as much for the prettiness of the teapots as for the beverage itself. Plus we all get into the spirit of celebration even if it is just to celebrate the afternoon.

While I would not consider myself a teapot collector I do own a quite a few teapots and continue to add to the collection. I also will continue to add tea celebrations and tea parties to Royal Tart. Check out this teapot Cherry Pie Teapot I think the color combination is fantastic.

I also love the Chelsea Place Teapot. It is classic fun to me! A little witty and a definitely cute!

And check out the Autumn Leaves Teapot . The shape is unique. As a teapot fan this is a must at my house for the shape and color.

I am even thinking of offering a Tea Party of the Month–whereby Royal Tart would sell a Tea Party celebrating the season or the holiday in the month including cute teapots, cups & saucers, table linens, tea trays and of course specialty tea and a menu designed especially for the tea party. If you like this idea send me a comment.

Thanks.

Happy Tea,
Tricia

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Royal Tart Teapot Giveaway

September 25, 2008 at 7:30 pm · Filed under Promotions

Butterfly Teapot

Hi everyone! Royal Tart is giving away a teapot! I love the details in this teapot–I love that the handle is one of the butterfly’s wings and that the design details are raised. The teapot is going to be part of a Butterfly Shower Celebration–the epitome of Spring and Summer. It is a Celebration Item for next Spring–you will be the first to own it if you win the giveaway! You can see other Royal Tart Celebrations on our website http://www.RoyalTart.com. We are excited to see what everyone thinks of Royal Tart’s business idea, the Celebrations themselves and which Celebration is each person’s favorite.

So to win the teapot please:

1. Check out Royal Tart at http://www.royaltart.com/.

2. Come back to Royal Tart’s Blog and leave a comment telling us which Celebration is your favorite and why.

3. For two additional entries: you can blog about Royal Tart, Post it and come back to Royal Tart’s Blog with the link. Please leave your blog url in your comment.

Good luck ALL!

Cheers,
Tricia

ps please include your email so I know how to contact you. Thanks!

pss Thanks to Prizey.net and my friend Rachel at Mammamadedesigns.com for telling me about this great concept!

I will pick a winner at random and Post the winner on Monday, October 6, 2008 no later than midnight:-)

Also, if you are interested in saving 10% off of any Celebrations you purchase through the end of the year–yup that’s right through December 31, 2008– just subscribe by September 30, 2008 and I will send you a code good for all your Celebration purchases in 2008.

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You Can Find Royal Tart and Get 10% Off

September 23, 2008 at 9:50 am · Filed under Promotions

Sparklers

Yay! You can use your favorite search engine and find Royal Tart now! Okay, so Royal Tart is still not posted on Ask. But it is posted on Yahoo!, MSN and Google. Yeah for Royal Tart! Check it out! We submitted to the search engines last Weds–it has taken a bit of time. No matter–you can find Royal Tart now! Thanks!

If you aren’t familiar with Royal Tart we are the premier provider of pre-packaged celebrations for adults and families. In other words, if you are busy or lacking inspiration you can go to Royal Tart and pick a Celebration for 8 people or 12 people and it will be delivered to your front door or office with everything you need to throw a fabulous and stylish celebration including: invitations, cloth napkins and table linens, ceramic or glass plates, decorations, party favors–when appropriate, and menu suggestions and recipes–all in one box delivered to you. No chasing around town to find invitations to match your decorations. You save vast amounts of time and gas!

If you go to Royal Tart and click on the “subscribe” button you can enter your contact information and receive promotions and product updates from Royal Tart and if you subscribe by September 30, 2008 you will be considered a charter member and you will receive 10% off every celebration you purchase through the end of 2008. That means 10% off of Halloween Celebrations, Baby Showers, Bridal Showers, and Celebratory Dinners–all Celebrations.

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A Fast, Celebration Worthy, Dried Cherry Pan Sauce

September 22, 2008 at 9:11 pm · Filed under Menus & Recipes

Hi. I wanted to share a new recipe that I created just tonight. It will be great for any of your celebratory dinners. My husband brought home some dried cherries from the grocery store last weekend. He and the boys were doing some marketing and bought them on impulse. We have been enjoying them on our cereal all week but I wanted to do something more interesting with them. Hence the below recipe. It dressed up the pork loin chops so much that I had to dress up the rest of dinner. It is a fast easy sauce and one that your guests, friends and family will love and you will look like a gourmet chef–okay at least a really good home cook:-)

Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Dried Cherry Pan Sauce

Pan fry four thick cut center loin pork chops in about a tablespoon of olive oil in a very hot skillet or sauté pan for 3-5 minutes on both sides so that there is a nice “crust” and the meat is cooked to your liking (for me that is slightly pink in the middle). Remove the chops to a plate. Turn the heat down to medium-high and add:

1 small yellow onion to the rendered fat and leftover oil (if there is more than a tablespoon or two of fat in the pan before you toss in the onions drain off fat until you have a tablespoon or two).

Sauté onion until is starts to color and soften then add about a 1/3 of a cup of dry red wine–bring to a boil and deglaze pan (scrape up and dissolve any brown bits left over from the meat–this makes for great flavor).

Add:
About a 1/2 cup of chicken stock
1/2 cup of dried cherries (I used Mount Morency. These cherries have a round and full cherry flavor and a moist, plump appearance)
2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tablespoons of light brown sugar
And about a 1/2 tsp of dried thyme or 1 tsp of fresh thyme—whichever you have available. (I used dried as this was a weeknight pantry meal and my thyme plant is dead. If I was using this recipe for a Celebration (and I will) I would use fresh thyme.

Cook, stirring often over high heat for a few minutes until liquid is reduced by almost half. Taste–add salt, pepper, more sugar or more vinegar in small amounts until you have the flavor and balance you like. (I tend to like the sweet and tart flavors equally so I have an almost even amount of both sugar and vinegar–some like their sauces tarter or sweeter–it’s your party you decide!)

After you have the sauce to your liking add in about a tablespoon of butter, turn off the heat and swirl the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve.

Like I said, my chops were great and I will definitely serve them as a main dish at a dinner party. I also served rice and green beans amandine for dinner.

If you are looking for great celebrations please check out my website www.royaltart.com .

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The upside (down) of cake

September 19, 2008 at 6:26 pm · Filed under Menus & Recipes

Last night while I was in the loft waiting for the boys to fall asleep (they are in a “we need you near us to fall asleep” phase) I was thumbing through the October 2008 Bon Appetit Magazine. Towards the back of the magazine (p.131) there was a picture that caught my eye. The photograph was of an updated pineapple upside down cake.

What caught my eye about the cake in the magazine is that it is a rectangular cake with asymmetrically placed pineapple slices of varying sizes. I love it! I love the unusual play on a traditional comfort food dessert. The recipe is also updated for the autumn season which is fun too. You can check out the updated recipe in the magazine.

I have already created menus and recipes for the current Royal Tart Celebrations but I think the asymmetrical pineapple upside down cake would be a super cool substitution for the dessert in the Groove Celebration which features cool off beat circles as part of the look and feel.

Groove Dinner Party Celebration Groove Dinner Party Placesetting

I also like the cake as a dessert with a beachier feel by changing the shape of the cake from a rectangle to a square and adding coconut and macadamia nuts—it would be a great addition to the Gone to The Beach Celebration.

Gone to The Beach Votives Gone to The Beach Votives

I might just bake a pineapple upside down cake this weekend. If you do, I hope you enjoy it!

Cheers,
Tricia

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A Star Company is Born

September 18, 2008 at 5:04 pm · Filed under Celebrations

Chelsea Place Shower Photograph

Many have asked how Royal Tart began and my quick response is often “mother is the necessity of invention.” Which is true as Royal Tart was created out of my need.

As background you should know I am a professional working mom of two young boys and a wife to a great husband.

This past spring a friend of mine contacted me and asked if I would co-host a baby shower for a mutual friend of ours. I immediately agreed. But when I hung up the phone I kinda freaked out–I was really busy at the time with work and with my oldest son. In fact, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. I thought about how I was going to throw a great shower befitting the beauty and joy of my friend and realized I just didn’t have the time and energy to create a beautiful baby shower for her. I thought that it would be great if I could go online and order a pre-packaged party–I knew about Birthday Express and had used it before for my children’s birthdays–so I checked out their website. The website only sold paper plates and standard decorations and while I take no issue with either I didn’t want to host a shower using paper plates; and I wanted to host a sophisticated and witty celebration for my friend. I wanted her to feel as special as I know she is. So, I started Royal Tart a company based in celebration.

The baby shower I co-hosted was the first Royal Tart pre-packaged Celebration ever! Royal Tart sells the shower as the Chelsea Place Shower. You can see more images on the website at www.royaltart.com.We added special personal touches to a really easy dessert tea menu. The mom-to-be loves ice cream sundaes so we included petit ice cream cartons and all the toppings. She was touched and the guests loved the sundaes.

So now, I am the proud president of a pre-packaged celebration company named Royal Tart. Our goal is to help others celebrate in Royal Style the easy as pie way.

Cheers! Tricia

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Welcome to Royal Tart!

September 10, 2008 at 8:36 am · Filed under Uncategorized

We’ve launched!

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